Tank construction.



4 E, W. GAMBLE.

TANK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.19, 1012.

Eatented Feb. 2, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 1.

INVENTOR A TTORNEY J. W. GAMBLE.

' TANK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MARJQ, 1912.

1,127,226. v Patented Feb.2,1915.

5 SHEETS-SHBET Z.

Z0- INVENTOR MA-ZQZWQ,

A TTORNE Y J. W. GAMBLE.

TANK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR;19,1912.

ZI ZL IZQQSI I i J i I Patented F112, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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JNVENTOR ATTORNEY J. W. GAMBLE.

TANK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1912 Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

5 SiIEETS-SHEET 4.

A TTORNE' Y t v "1 I 20%;!) '5 BY x a a v,

J. W. GAMBLE.

TANK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19. 1912 1,127,226. I Patented Feb.2, 1915.

5 SHEETS-LSHEET 5.

A TTORN E Y awn l @FFIQE.

JOSEPH W. GAMBLE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO JOSEPH S. LOVERINGWHABTON, WILLIAM S. HALLOWELL, AND JOHN CIJONES, ALL OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, DOING BUSINESS AS FIRM OF HARRISON SAFETY BOILER WORKS.

TANK CONSTRUCTION.

Patented Feb. 2, 31915.

Application filed March 19, 1912. Serial No. 684,785.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH GAMBLE,

- a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tank Construction, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a art thereof.

1y present invention relates to tanks such as are employed in the so-called open feed water heaters and purifiers, and the primary object of'the invention is to simplify the manufacture of and reduce the cost of manufacturing a line of such tanks, including tanks of various styles and sizes. This I accomplish by forming the different tanks out of metal sections which are so shaped and arranged that they may be readily assembled and secured together in various combinations to produce the different sizes and styles of tanks desired. 1

In the practical carrying out of my invention I so form the various sections that the moldin casting and machining operations may e readily and inexpensively carried out while at the same time the desired mechanical strength and tightness of joints may be obtained in the assembled tanks, and I so correlate the various sections as to obtain a desirable flexibility and range in the styles and sizes of tanks which may be pro duced from a comparatively small number of sections of standard form kept in stock, with or without the use of additional sections peculiar to sizes and styles of tanks for which there may be only occasional demand. Aside from the general features of my invention to which I have referred, the invention includes special features of construction and arrangement adapted to insure ready assembling, and repairs when necessary to obviate leaking joints and replace broken sections.

The various features, of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a 'better understanding of theinvention, however, and the advantages possessed by it reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in. which I have illustrated and described forms of apparatus embodying my invention.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view partly broken away and in section, of a Water heater and purifier having its tank Wall constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation partly broken away and in section of the structure of Fig.1. Figs. 3 and 4 are front and rear views, respectively, partly broken away and in section of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and '2. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of one of the sections employed in the tank shown in Figs. 1 to 4. -Fig. 6 is an elevation partly in section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 of the sections shown in the latter figure. Fig. 7 is a partial section through the section shown in Fig. 5 and an adjacent section, the section being taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a partial section,

similar to Fig. 7, taken on the line 88 of v 14 14 of Fig. 12. Fig. 15 is a plan view ofla fourth form of section employed in the tank ii shown in Figs. 1' to 4. Fig. 16 is an elevation of the section shown in Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is an elevation of a modification of the section shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 18 is a section on the line 18-18 of Fig. 17. Figs. 19 to24r are sectional plans illustrating different Ways in which sections may be combined to produce tank walls of different dimensions. Fig. 25 is apartial elevation of a tank embodying the arrangement of sections illustrated diagrammatically in Fig.

24. Fig. 26 is a partial sectional elevation, and Fig. 27 a plan of a portion of altank wall illustrating one way in which damaged sections may be replaced in a tank. Fig. 27 is a partial section taken similarly to Fig. 26 on a larger scale than Fig. 26. Fig. 28 is a partial plan of still another form of heater tank, and Fig. 29 1s a part al elevation of the tank shown in Fig. 25.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comrises a shell A; of? re g ar Qu l neh r.

1 be. heated flows in film-like; and brokenstreams. In the body of the shell is mounted a filter bed C which is supported at one end by the partition member D. The latter causes. the water passingoff the trays. 13': to. pass into the filter bed from the underside of the latter.

E represents thewaterinlet pipe; F, represents a combined steam inlet and oil separator casing,- G, represents the overflow pipe; H, represents the hotwater discharge pipe, and 1' represents a blow-off connection opening from the lower end of the heater d connectedto the overflow or waste connection G.

In so faras above described, the structure shown does not differ. from the so-called: open feed water heaters-.andpurifiers of a. type now in; common use.

The shell of the heater constructed is made up of cast ironsections T, T, TA, TA, TB, TB", 'FC,TD, TE, TE, TG, TH and TI connected together as by bolts. These sections differ from one another in form or dimensionsbut' possess certain similarities in construction and dimensions which permit them. to be assembled as shownin Figs. 1 to- 4, and also inother'ways as hereinafter explained.

Each section T, as shown besti'n Figs. 5 and 6, is square and comprises aflat platelike body having a marginal flanget formed with the bolt holest for thebolts J by means of which the section is secured to adjoining sections in the assembled struc-.

ture. To simplify the drawings and avoid" confusion I have omitted all showing of thebolts J- for the most part in the smaller scale drawings; The fl ange t is provided at its outer side with a smooth boa-ring surface it which ordinarily is machined and preferably, as shown, doesnot extend to the inner face of the plate so that a space t is provided between adjacent sect onsT" as shownin Figs. 7 and 8-. This reducesmachining and facilitates oal'king when necessary. Preferably, the sections T are provided Withstifi'ening ribs 2? meeting at the center of the section; As shown each section T is formed with a semi-cylindrical boss 25 at the junction of each rib t with the marginal flange t. The cylindrical bosses formed by the registering bosses t of adjacent sections may be bored out to receive staybolt or other connections to the tank walls. In Fig. 2 three staybolts JA are shown as so connected into the tank wall and a pipe connection X is. also. connected into, the wall in this manner.

The belt holes. 6 are formed. inthe' flange t of each section T at regular inter-tails along the length, of the latter. As shown in Fig. 5 these bolt holes are formed one at the middle of each of the six units a of length into which eachside of the section T may bediinclined at an angle of 45 to the plane of I the body of the section.- Aside from this inclination: the flange t is like the flanges t.

For convenience of reference the flanges connecting the flanges t and t of each section. TA are designated by the. symbol t, although the flanges needinot differ in. any. respect except length from the flanges I of the sections '1" and TA. As shown, each section TA is provided with a. single stiffen.- ing rib: 6. Each section, TA, in the construction shown. in the drawings, is equal in length to one side ot a section. T but the Width. of the inner all; forming. surface proper of each section TA, is equal to one unit a.

The sections TA differ from the sections in. the width of their wall forming. portions, this portionfin each section TA, as.

shown, being equal to two units a.

' The sections TB differ *from'sections ing surface 25 similar to the joint forming surfaces 25 of the flange t. The section TB. differs from the section TB merely in the width of the inner wallformingv portion of the section lying: between the flange t and) the-off-set portion t this width being equal to one unit a in; each. section TB, and equal; totwo units a in each section TB.

The sections TG. differ from. the sections TB in that each section TC extends beyond the stifiening rib. 13* at one side. only far enough to provide an end flange t parallel to the body of the section and similar to. the side flange t. The length of the inner Wall. forming surfaceproper of each section TC; measured parallel to. its flange t. is, as shown, equal to two units a.

The sections TD differ from the sections T in the omissionof the stiffening ribs t and in beingformed each with a door or manhole opening surrounded by an external flange 6 against which a; door L maybe detachably secured to the section by; bolts L. These door sections are provided whereever necessary to permit of cleaning, 'in'-. speetion or repairs. particular-gone of section TE isin the steam inlet port F tions make desirable.

these door sections is ordinarily placedin the cupola extension differs from thesestion's '1 mainly in that portions ofjhestiffening {ribs r re replaeed byte-sees; E, E2 ,aiid E3 ta which pi connections are made. As sown the cold water supply pipeE is tapped into the boss E, a vent pipe M for uncondensed steam and the boss E and a pipe N for supplying a chemical purifying reagent is tapped into the boss E; y

The'steam inlet section TF is in two parts of which the inner part forms a part of the tank wall proper. The inner part Of the form of a box with its outer wallsabutting against and bolted to the flanges if and t"? of the adjacent sections T, TA and TB, the securing bolts .in this vapors is tapped into case extendinginto theinterior of the sec:

tion TF. As shown also, thesection TF supports a valve seat member ,FA having a controlledby an oscillating valve member F which has an operating shaft F extending through a boss F formed in the-sideof the section F. F represents an operating handle secured to the external end of the shaft F 'Adva'nta geously as shown the section TB is provided with a boss F at each side so that the valve shaft F mayproject at either side as condi- Only one of these bosses need be bored out though if both are bored out the one not in use may be blanked up. it

The section TG is provided with a marginal flange t similar in size and form to the flange t of the sections T except that portions merge into the end walls of a chamber G containing a baffle comprising vertical portions G and G and a lower'horizontal portion G fOl providing a water sealed channel between the waste pipe G and the port G opening to the interior of the tank. Some of the bolts (not shown in Figs. 2 and 3 because of the small scale of these figures) by which the section TG is secured to the wall sections above'and below it may extend into the interior of the chamber G.

The section TH has a marginal flange 23 similar in form and size to the flange t of the sections T, except that portions merge form a by-pass through which the pipe H may'be supplied with water when the filter bed becomes clogged.

The section TI resembles the sections TB but the width of the inner wall forming portion measured parallel to its flanges t is equal to four units a', Added with two stiflening ribs parallel to its flanges t. The section TI is also provided witha flanged bo s .to which the blow-air valve is messed. sperms may be formed in the flat plate-like bodies (if se'citions formin the wall of thetank A wherever require For instance an aperture is formed in one of the sections TA to receive the shaft Z through which a float Z within the'heater operates the controlling valve E in the cold Water supply pipe E. Advantageoiisly as shown the plate at the margin of thisaperture is strengthened by having a p'adZ bolted to it. similar pads secured to other sections of the tankwall at the margin of apertures provided for various purposes.

In the particular construction shown. in

' Figs. 1 to 4:, the top wall of the body of the tank A immediately adjacent the cupola ex tension is formed by. sections TB and TC which have their flanges t bolted directly to the flanged head of the partition member D. Similarly the section T and the two sections TA forming the adjacent vertical wall of the cupola extension have their lower flanges t and t bolted to the flanged head of the partition member D. The bottom wall-0f the tank is formed like the portion of the top wall of the tank to the right of the cupola extension as seen in Fig. 4', except that the bottom wall ordinarily contains no door section TD.

In the tank construction shown in Figs. 1 to, 4 it will be apparent that the sections TA, TA, TB, TB and TC form what may be called corner ,sectionsand that the bodies of the flat walls of the tank' are formed by the plain-body sections T and T, and by the special accessory sections, including the door sections Tlland the sections TE, T-F, TG,

these special or accessory sections with respect to each-other and to the other sections forming the bodies of the tank walls, and indeed the use or'omission of some or all of them and the use of other special accessory sections," depend upon the style and character of the tank to be constructed. n Another example of a special section and one for which there may be ratherfrequent demand is illustrated in Figs. 28 and 29 in which there is a heater having a cupola-like extension BB receiving heatin trays. This extension is mounted on a special section TX having an inner wall forming portion of the standard section. The section TX is pro and the section is pro- 0 and O represent TH and TI. The relative arrangement of vided with transverse'flanges t at two sides;

joint forming surfaces oft hea er a k shown in ig 8 an At its other-two sides the section TX'is' proflanges t of the adjacent sections of the side and end walls of the heater. To si pport the 'f pol'a BB, h se t o T s o' leed w h a hollow boss 13 having an upper joint formng surface adapted to re istei" with the oithe various sections formingthe clipola BB which are secured thereto as by bolts'J The under edge of the boss t at themargin of the heater is similarly'ednhected-to the side walls of the tank.

In the construction shown in Figs. 28 and 29 th'ejsections TY forming the marginal portions of the top wall of the tank body are formed with extensions t similar to the ext nsions t of the section TX. In the heaters shown in Figs. 28 and 29 I have illustrated the use of corner stays X having end portions X adapted to abut against and be bolted to the intersecting walls of the heater body meeting at an angle. With the various sections formed as described and with the holes t for the fasten ing' bolts J spaced as'described it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the special and standard sections may be as sembled in an) desired relative arrangement. For instance it is quite immaterial Whether each of these sections meets the corners of three other sections, or whether the sections in adjacent rows break joints, or whether the main body sections in one .flat wall have their top and bottom edges at the same levels as corresponding sections in other walls of the same heater. The flanges of the various corner sections which abut against the flanges t of the main sect ons must of course match therewith and have their bolt holes t correspondingly spaced.

It is not essential, however, in order to obtain some of the advantages of the invention that the flanges tfiof the corner sections TA, TB, TC, etc, should be arranged to match with the flanges t of the yarious sec tions or that the width of the inner wall forming surfaces of these sectidnsshould be integ"al multiples of the common unit a, since these corner sections in general have their flanges t assembled only in contact with the flanges t of other corner sections; It is. advantageous. however, to make the .fii llges' 23 match with the flanges 13 since a somewhat greater flexibility in combining arts is obtained thereby, and the maniifacgme' of the different sections is simplified by 'ii'hiformity .inispacing. Moreover',-th

ing of the holt holes ti employed'in the meani gs vtions T.

' Mamas,

assembling the sections T, and will give goodresults assembling the corner'sect o'n'S- i v The spacing of the boltholes ,t' in the flangestjthat' is the length of the unit a' is fixed by'the fact that there must beenough ,bolts to give the desired mechanical strength and'to Ininimize leaking on the one hand,

while on the other hand it is, in general, de-

sirable'to have the bolts in each flange portion far enough away from a transverse hangelportion' or stiii'ening rib to make .it easy to secure the bolts in'place, and it is ogf course desirable to keep the number of bolts as small as possible. The limitations fixed by the foregoing considerations on the spacing of'the bolt holes which 'may .be'employed, permit of a considerable range in the length of the unit a. This length is preferably chosen, however, to permit of a tank by increments of eight inches. In general, to obtain the side'of a tank wall of giyen width I employ the maximum number'of what I may call full sized sections which, with the construction shown, and assiimin'g a unit a equal to four inches are secticns two feet square each and then employ corner 'sections to complete the desired width, and it is because I prefer ordinarily to employsimila'r corner sections at the op:- posite edges of each side wall that I ordinarily vary'the width of the wall by increnients equal to two a or eight inches rather than by increments of four inches, each. Various ways in which sections such as th'os'e'described may be employed to form walls of varyin widths are shown quite clearly in Figs. '9 to 25 inclusive which re quire no explanation except to point out that the section TA diflers from the sec tions-TA only in the width of the inner wall formin surface portions which in each section is equal to three a or twelve inches, with the side of the unit referred to above, and that the section TA differs from the section T only in having one inclined flange tlike the flange t" of the sections TA, and that thesection TAD, (see Figs. 24 and 25) 1s ad'oor section differing from the sections TA as the sections TD difi'er from the sec- The modified corner section TAA shown 11). Flgsllli'andldis adapted to take the glacebf two corner's'ections TA, differing r'o'z'n' assembled pair of such sections in that the portion corresponding to the two beveled flanges t of the pair of sections TA are in one piece.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that a heater tank formed of sections in the manner described may be readily assembled, and the character of the joint forming surfaces t is such as to require a minimum of machining while insuring tight joints without the necessity for calking the joints in many cases. In assembling the. sections the joint forming surfaces are coated with red lead or a like composition to avoid leakage. It is one of the advantages of the invention that the character of a tank constructed in this manner may be readily changed without taking it entirely apart. For instance, to change an assembled tank of one style into a tank of another style, as is frequently desirable, it is only necessary in many cases to remove one or more special sections and to substitute other special sections therefor. Furthermore, it is apparent that the capacity of a tank may be varied by simply taking the tank apart and inserting or removing a row or rows of intermediate sections,

In case of injury to any section of an assembled tank it is ordinarily an easy matter to remove the injured section and replace it by a new section. In some cases, however, as when the injured section is the bottom wall of the tank, or is in a portion of the side or top wall if the tank is in close proximity to the wall of the building in which the heater may be installed or to other apparatus, the section to be removed is not readily accessible from the outside of the tank. To take care of such cases I have devised a special section which may be put in place from the inside of the heater after the old damaged section has been broken out and the bolts 1 which secured it in place are removed. One example of such a repair section is shown in Figs. 26 27 and 27 wherein the repair section adapted to take the place of a standard section T is formed in two similar parts TR, this division being necessary to permit the section to be passed into the heater through the opening in a standard door section TD. Each of the parts TR'into which the repair section is divided, comprises a side flange t and end flanges t adapted to abut against the flanges t of the adjacent wall sections. In the case of the repair section TR, however, the flanges extend inwardly and not outwardly from the body portion of the section and the body portion of the section, as shown, is substantially flush with the outer edges of the flanges of the adjacent standard sections. Each part TR is provided at the side adjacent the other half with a flange It provided with a joint forming surface adapted to be clamped against the corre sponding joint forming surface of the abutting flange t by bolts J. Bolt holes are tapped in the flanges 25 and t to register with the bolt holes t in the flanges t of the adjacent standard sections, and bolts JA with conical ends are screwed into these tapped ends and extend into the bolt holes 6 of the flanges t of the adjacent section. These bolts serve to correctly position the repair parts TB in the wall of which they form a part but are not relied upon to clamp the parts together and thereby secure tight joints. Leakage at the joints between the repair parts TR and the adjacent sections is prevented by filling the grooves t with suitable calking material. Preferably also, a channel to be filled with calking material, is provided between the flanges t. as with the cramped space conditions under which these parts must-be at in place, it is difficult to obtain tight joints by means of' clamping bolts. lVhile, as I have before said, calking is not usually necessary in order to secure tight joints between the regular sections of the tank wall it is apparent that all of the joints may be readily calked from within the heater when this is necessary, except in the case of such a construction as that shown in Figs. 28 and 29 wherein'the joints formed in part by theextensions t and Z of the sections TX and TY are so disposed as to make internal calking difiicult.

It will be apparentthat the character of the sections and particularly of What I may call standard sections as distinguished from special sections is such as to make these sections exceedingly easy to cast and to facilitate such machining operations as it is necessary to give them.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes I have illustrated and described the best forms of my invention now known to me it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may bemade in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention, and that under some conditions certain features of my invention may be used with advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Ametal section adapted to be assembled with similar sections to form a tank wall, and comprising a rectangular body portion and a marginal flange transverse thereto and formed with a raised bearing surface of less width than the nange proper running longitudinally of the flange on the outer side thereof adjacent one edge of the flanged and formed with bolt holes extending through said flange and opening at the other side thereof through said bearing face,

whereby when said flange is secured against the flange ofa similar section by bolts pass ing through said bolt holes, a calking space, closed at one edge by the abutting bearing surfaces, is provided between the connected flanges.

2. A metal section adapted to be assembled with similar sections to form a tank wall, and comprising a rectangular body portion and a marginal flange transverse thereto and formed with a raised bearing surface of less width than the flange proper running longitudinally of the flange on the outer side thereof adjacent one edge of the flange and formed with bolt holes extending through said flange and opening at the other side thereof through said bearing face the latter being widened at each bolt hole, whereby when said flange is secured against the flange of a similar section by bolts passing through said bolt holes, a calking space, closed at one edge by the abutting bearing surfaces, is provided between the connected flanges.

3. In combination with a tank Wall formed of sections having external marginal flanges and having adjacent sections secured together by bolts passing through bolt holes formed in'the abutting marginal flanges, of a repair section adapted to be inserted in said walls from the inside to replace a damaged section and having an internal marginal flan e, and bolts threaded through the internal flanges of the adjacent sections.

4. In combination with a tank wall formed of sections having external marginal flanges and having adjacent sections secured together by bolts passing through bolt holes formed in the abutting marginal flanges, of a repair section adapted to be inserted in a said walls from the inside to replace a damaged section and having an internal marginal flange, and bolts threaded through an internal flange and adapted to engage the flanges of the adjacent sections, said repair section being divided into parts with inter ange and adapted to engage the nal flanges at the joint between the parts and bolts passing through the last mentioned flanges to secure said joints together.

In combination with atank wall formed of sections having external marginal flanges and having adjacent sections secured together by bolts passing through bolt holes formed in the abutting marginal flanges, of a repair section adapted to be inserted in said walls from the inside to replace a damaged section and having an internal marginal flange, and bolts threaded through said internal flange and adapted to enter the tions.

6. In combination with a tank wall formed of sections having external marginal flanges and having adjacent sections secured together by bolts passing through bolt holes formed in the abutting marginal flanges, of a repair section adapted to be inserted in said walls from the inside to replace a dam aged section and having an internal marginal flange and bolts of larger diameterthan said bolt holes and having conical ends threaded through said internal flange and in register with the bolt holes in the flanges of the adjacent sections.

7 In combination with a tank wall formed of sections having external marginal flanges the adjacent flanges of the adjacent sections. b

JOSEPH W. GAMBLE. Witnesses:

Rosna'r G. Cmr'ron, Jesse E. I-Izuuus.

bolt holes in the flanges of the adjacent sec- 7 

